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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Samson porcelain factory, established in Montreuil in 1871 after a transfer from Saint-Maur, specialized in the reproduction and restoration of ancient porcelain. It enjoyed an international reputation, particularly among museums, and used traditional craftsmanship. Its offices and its Parisian exhibition shop, located avenue de l'Opéra, complemented its industrial activity. The Montreuil workshops, disused in 1989, were largely destroyed, with the exception of the three protected furnaces.

The two round, small (20 m3) globe and direct flame ovens were surrounded by iron and constructed of refractory bricks, with alanders for combustion. A third oven, larger and with spilled flames, acquired around 1912, corresponded to a patent filed in 1878 by Henri Eisenecker. These equipments, heated with wood, bear witness to the cooking techniques of the time. The factory employed 40 workers in 1900, then 125 around 1920, combining artisans and artists.

Founded by Émile Samson, the factory illustrates 19th century artisanal industrialization, combining traditional know-how and technical innovation. The furnaces, classified as Historic Monuments in 1989, are the only preserved remains of the site, now owned by a private company. Their preservation offers a rare example of industrial equipment related to porcelain in Île-de-France.

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